Crime of Poverty

The Crime of Poverty was a speech delivered in the Opera house in Burlington, Iowa April 1st 1885 written by Henry George. In this address the speaker claims that poverty is a crime imposed on some persons by society. The writer states that poverty creates ignorance and breeds crime and that a huge portion of human misery is caused by poverty. The writer feels that there is no reason that everyone should not be able to sustain them and live in poverty. He feels that no child or woman should have to work so hard to make a living. He states that poverty will continue to be a worldwide issue as long as the land is monopolized by others.

The piece is interesting. The writer has proven that poverty is a crime due to use of emotional and ethical appeal, stylistic devices and various tones.

First and foremost throughout the piece the writer appeals to his audience both emotionally and ethically bringing our values to question. He brings to the forefront the main reason he feels that poverty exists which is land monopolization. He believes that people are poor due to conditions imposed on them by society and that poverty is a social crime we should all be held accountable for. Ethically he appeals to his audience successfully by showing us how much of an injustice is being done to those stricken by poverty. He claims that nine tenths of human misery is due to poverty. He states that poverty produces ignorance and in most cases it is not the fault of those who are poor. He feels that there is no reason why everyone should not have the things that they need to sustain themselves. This is true and most would agree that the land produces enough resources such as gold, silver etc for everyone to live comfortably once there was access to it. He speaks for equality because he feels that we should all have equal access to the land and what it has to offer because no one made land as it was here before our very existence. He speaks out against industrial work as he still feels it is a form of slavery that still exists today.

He also appeals to our emotion when he states that no child should be working and no woman should be doing work that is not cut out for a woman to do. It is absolutely heart wrenching to imagine a child working in order to survive.

In additional to appeal the writer also used many stylistic devices such as metaphors, allusions and sarcasm to support his argument. In paragraph 11 he states "Did you ever think what a strange thing it is that men cannot find employment? He uses sarcasm to show weird it is that man cannot find employment. Adam had no difficulty in finding employment: neither had Robinson Crusoe. Here the writer uses an allusion to support his claim referring to two historical figures. Adam lived in the Garden of Eden he never worked but was able to survive off of the land. Robinson Crusoe was stranded on a deserted island and did not work because the land provided